Where Do Animals Live?

Introduction

Below are possible responses to the questions posed in the Where Do Animals Live? online book that is part of the Animal Diversity lesson plan.

Slide 1 (two polar bears):

Here are two polar bears.

What do you observe about them? (They are two polar bears playing in the snow. Students may also notice their heavy fur, big paws, etc.)

Slide 2 (polar bear cubs)

What do you think the weather is like in this place? (Snow and ice show that it’s cold.)

What features do these polar bears have that help them to live in this cold place? (Focus on features such as the bears’ heavy fur, large paws for walking, and their white color that helps protect them from their enemies because they blend into their white environment.)

Slide 3 (penguin and chick):

How are these penguins like the polar bears you just saw? (The penguins have young, too, and live in a cold environment.)

How are they different? (Encourage students to point out features that show the penguins are birds rather than mammals.)

Slide 4 (great egret):

What do you notice about these birds? (Encourage students to point out the adult bird and two chicks as well as the birds’ feathers, beaks, wings, and other physical features.)

How are they like the penguins you just saw? (Encourage students to notice that both are birds, and recognize their similar physical features.)

How are they different from the penguins? (Answers will vary. Encourage students to notice physical features such as size, feathers, etc.)

Slide 5 (repeat egrets)

What kind of place do these birds live in? (It appears to be warm and they’re near water.)

What do you notice about the birds that helps them to live in this place? (These birds have long legs that help them walk in water and light feathers that help keep them cool.)

Slide 6 (2 lions):

What kind of place do you think these lions live in? (It looks warm and it’s a land environment.)

What features do the lions have that help them live in this place? (They’re light colored like the grass around them, which helps protect them from their enemies, and their fur is short, which helps keep them cool.)

Slide 7 (elephants):

What kind of place do these elephants live in? (It looks hot and dry. It’s a land environment.)

How are the elephants like the lions? (They live in a hot, dry, land environment.)

Slide 8 (dolphins swimming):

Where do these dolphins live? (They live in a water environment.)

What do you notice about the dolphins that helps them to live there? (Their shapes, fins, and tails help them move easily through the water.)

Slide 9 (otter):

How is this otter like the dolphins? (It also lives in or near a water environment. It also has a smooth shape that helps it swim easily.)